Rear loading staple magazine



Nov. 1, 196,6 E. M. EADY REAR LOADING STAPLE MAGAZINE Filed' oct. 25, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet l Tmm INVENTOR, Edse/l M Eaay Nov. 1, 1966 E. M. EADY REAR LOADING STAPLE MAGAZINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed OCT.. 23, 1964 STAPLES INVENTOR, Edsel! M. Eady BY u/M- 3W@ STAPLES www MW. M m .T MA 5 @w Nov. l, 1966 E. M. EADY 3,282,490

REAR LOADING STAPLE MAGAZINE Filed Oct. 25, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 43f` I4 29 42 "g 32 44 l W f* le H i 30 43f I4 f f l g STAPLES 430 n F, l5 5 im o Fl g 7 INVENTOR. Edsel! ,14 Egdy BY WmmvL//I/LW H/` ATTORNEYS Nov. 1, 1966 E. M. EADY 3,282,490

REAR LOADING STAPLE MAGAZINE Filed 0G13. 25, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Y Zoli- 471 in! Ease# M. Eady H/.S ATTORNEYS United States Patent Olitice 3,282,490 Patented Nov. 1, 1966 3,282,490 REAR LADING STAILE MAGAZINE Edsell M. Eady, Butler Township, Butler County, Pa., assigner to International Staple & Machine Company, Butler, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Oct. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 406,473 1 Claim. (Cl. 227-120) This application relates to ia rear loading staple magazine which is intended for use in stapling machines in which U-shaped staples are fed consecutively into a driving throat whereupon a driving blade moving in la track in alignment with the driving throat is driven through the throat to engage a staple and force it into a workpiece beneath the stapling machine. The magazine can also be used for feeding nails to a driver for a nail-driving machine.

The staples are generally supplied for use in the stapling machine in sticks in which a number of staples (in the order of 50) are secured edge to edge by adhesive, a light layer of solder, etc. When a staple to be driven into a workpiece is moved into the driving throat in position to be engaged by the driving blade, motion of the driving -blade through the throat separates the staple in the throat from the staples behind it and drives the staple into the rwork.

The sticks of staples are fed toward the driving throat in a channel which narrowly contines the staples against movement at right angles to the feeding movement and a spring-loaded follower moves the staples through the channel towards the driving throat.

In staple magazines heretofore generally used, it has been necessary to reload the magazine by withdrawing the staple follower entirely from the staple-guide channel against the considerable force of the spring, to hold the follower in some manner out of the path of the staple channel and then insert one or more sticks of staples, following which the follower is pulled back and inserted in the channel back of the last of the staples in the channel.

Withdrawing the staple follower from the channel, inserting sticks of staples in the channel, and then reinserting the staple follower is time-consuming. In the rear loading magazine 'which I have invented, when the magazine requires reloading, an operator simply inserts sticks of staples into the rear end lof the magazine past a retractable stop. The follower is pulled rearwardly over the staples until it goes beyond the last staple, whereupon fingers on the follower snap in behind the last staple and the follower urges the staples towards the driving throat of the stapling machine.

The stapling magazine which I have invented has a retractable stop adjacent the end of the magazine away from the driving throat of the machine, and in the plane of movement of the staples, so that staples are not withdrawn from the magazine when the follower is pulled back rearwardly over the staples. The stop, however, is retractable to permit staples to be fed into the magazine. In order to make it easy to insert sticks of staples into the rear end of the magazine, it is desirable that there be suitable space between the plane of movement of the staples through the magazine and the top of the magazine. Accordingly, in my magazine, there are two tracks, on one of which the staples move and which carries the staple stop and on the other of which the follower moves, and there is considerable space between these two tracks, so that sticks of staples can readily be inserted into the rear end of the magazine on top of the track on which they move and back of the stop.

It is also necessary that the sticks of staples within the magazine be held firmly down against the track on which they move, so that succeeding sticks of staples will follow each other through the magazine and so that the last stick against which the follower acts engages the preceding stick squarely so as to move that preceding stick through the magazine. Accordingly, the follower in my magazine is moved forwardly towards the throat by a flat steel spring which is coiled at the end of the magazine adjacent the driving throat and which extends out over the staples beneath the track for the follower `and which has its free end secured to the follower. The tendency of the flat spring to return to its coiled form supplies the force which moves the follower towards the driving throat. This force is a constant force, and, therefore, this type of spring has been frequently used in staple magazines. However, in accordance with my invention, the follower has a surface which slopes forwardly towards the driving throat and downwardly and the free end of the spring is secured to this sloping surface, so that the portion of the spring adjacent the free end is directed downwardly against the sticks of staples to meet it. The natural tendency of the coil of the spring at the forward end to unwind tends to force the portion of the spring adjacent the coil downwardly against staple sticks beneath that portion and thereby the whole length of the spring acts as a holddown for the staples and holds them firmly down against the track on which they move through the magazine. The mounting of the spring can be reversed, i.e., the coil can ybe mounted on the follower and the free end on the magazine adjacent the throat.

In the `accompanying drawings, I have illustrated a presently preferred embodiment of my invention in which:

FIGURE 1 is a broken plan view of the magazine;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal section of the magazine;

FIGURE 3 is a plan View of the rear end of the magazine on an enlarged scale;

FIGURE 4 is a section along the lines IV-IV of FIG- URE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an end view of the rear end `of the magazine;

FIGURE 6 is a section along the lines VI-VI of FIG- URE 3;

FIGURE 7 is a section along the lines VII-VII of FIG- URE 4;

FIGURE 8 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of the end of the magazine adjacent the driving throat;

FIGURE 9 is -a section along the lines IX-IX of FIG- URE 8;

FIGURE l() is a section along the lines X-X of FIG- URE 8, and

FIGURE 11 is aneend view of the structure shown in FIGURE 8.

Referring to FIGURES l and 2 of the drawings, my rear loading staple magazine comprises a double channel 12 which, as shown in FIGURE 5, is formed from a single metal piece. It comprises a base 13 having downwardly extending legs 14 which are bent outwardly at 15, then upwardly to form outer sides 16. The sides 16 are bent inwardly to form two top portions 17 which extend only a part of the way across the top, leaving a space 18 which extends the full length of the magazine. The base 13 and legs 14 form a track for staples and the top portions 17 form a track for a staple-follower, as will be later described.

At the forward end of the magazine, a vertically extending wear plate 19 is welded to the end of the channel 12 and lugs 20 spaced from, but extending parallel to the sides of the wear plate 19, constitute spacers which limit the amount that the magazine can be inserted into the stapling machine. The portions of the lugs 210 which ex tend beyond the wear plate 19 form the sides of the stapledriving throat and the plate 19 forms the rear wear plate of the driving throat.

Staples are forced forwardly along the base 13 and the legs 14 which form the staple track until they reach the position shown in FIGURE 2, at which forward motion is stopped by a wear plate opposite to the wear plate 19 and forming part of the stapliug machine. A driving blade 21 (forming no part of this invention) is moved by the stapling machine to engage the foremost staple, driving it past the wear plate 19 and between the lugs 2li into the workpiece.

A coiled spring 22 is mounted on top of the channel adjacent the driving throat and the free end 23 of this 'spring extends out across the staple sticks in the magazine and is connected to a staple follower 24, which will be described in more detail hereinafter. The spring coil 22 exerts a constant force on the staple follower 24, tending to move it towards the driving throat of the stapling machine, and thereby feeds sticks of staples into the driving throat.

A handle 25 extends vertically from the follower 24 and a stop 26 extending upwardly from the channel 12 prevents withdrawal of the follower from the rear end of :the magazine. Lugs 27 extend from the side of the channel 12 for securing the magazine in a stapling machine.

FIGURES 3, 6 and 7 illustrate in detail the rear or outer end of the magazine, i.e., the end of the magazine farthest from the driving throat of the stapling machine and the follower in its rearmost position. The follower comprises a U-shaped base member 28 having two legs 29 and 30 which extend towards the driving throat of the stapling machine. Fingers 31, in the form of flat plates, are curved at one end to form bearings 32 for pins 33 which extend between the legs 29 and 39 on opposite sides of the yoke. The ngers turn on the bearings 32 and are connected at their free ends by a spring 34 which pulls the free ends of the ngers towards each other and against the sides of the legs 14 which form the sides of the track for the staple.

The follower is mounted on the top portions 17 of the channel by means of the top leg 29 of the U-shaped mem- -ber 28. The top leg 29 has a raised portion 35 which tits into the longitudinal space 18 between the top portion 1'7 of the magazine. A bolt 36 secured by a nut 37 passes through the portion 35 and carries beneath that portion a guide plate 38 against which the free end of the spring 23 is held by the bolt 36. As appears in FIGURE 4, the bottom surface of the plate 38 slopes downwardly and forwardly so that the free end 23 of the spring is pressed downwardly against the top of the staples on the staple track. Above the top portion 17 of the channel, the bolt 36 carries a Teon strip 39, a steel backing plate 40 and a washer 41. The raised portion 35 and the Teon strip 39 form guide surfaces for the follower whereby it can slide lengthwise in the space 18 between the Itop portions 17 of the channel.

A stop is provided on the outside of the legs 14 which is engaged by staples on the staple track to prevent withdrawal of the staples when the staple follower is pulled back rearwardly over the staples. This stop is positioned slightly forward of the ends of the fingers 31 when they are against the sides 14 and the follower is in its rearmost position. As shown in FIGURE 7, the stop comprises a tube 42 which extends between the legs 14 and has within it and at each end pins 43 which extend through apertures 43a in the legs 14 and are urged into that position by a spring 44 within the tube, and extending between them. Portions of the pins 43 extend beyond the legs 14 into the path of travel of the legs of the staples on the staple track and are flattened as at 45 so as to obtain a firm liat contact with the legs of the staples. As shown in FIGURE 4, the apertures 43a are oval so as to prevent turning of the pins 43. As shown in FIGURE 7, the end portions of the pins extending beyond the legs 14 are also rounded or sloped so that staple sticks can be fed from the rear along the staple track. When this is done, the forward staple of a stick presses the pins 43 inwardly and the stick slides over the inwardlt,l pressed pins.

FIGURES 8 to 1l inclusive illustrate in detail the forward end of the magazine adjacent the driving throat. As previously described, the forward end carries a wear plate 19 and spacers 20 which form the sides and rear wear plate of the driving throat through which staples are driven into the work. The forward end also carries a U-shaped bracket 46, the upper leg 47 of which supports a mount for the coiled spring which actuates the staple follower and the lower leg 48 of which acts as a guide for staples as they approach the driving throat. To secure the bracket 46 to the magazine, tabs 49 are stamped upwardly from the top portions 1'7 of the channel 12 and the top leg 47 is slipped beneath the tabs 49 and welded in place. Brackets 50 are formed from the leg 47 and extend vertically upwards as shown in FIGURES 10 and 1l to support the coil spring. Asbest shown in FIGURE 10, a recess 51 is formed in the forward end of each bracket 5t) and a drum 52 on which the spring is coiled extends into the recesses 51.

The lower leg 48 of the bracket 46 extends inwardly from the front of the channel 12 slightly above the staples as they move on the staple track, and the inner end of the leg 48 is bent upwardly as shown at 53 so as to enable the staples to slide readily under the leg 48.

In operation, as staples are driven into the work, the sticks of staples advance towards the driving throat of the stapling machine under the force of the spring 22 acting on the follower 24. The staples are moved forwardly, because, as shown in FIGURE 3, the fingers 31 on the follower 24 are pressed against the sides 14 of the staple track and engage the last of the staples in the magazine. When the supply of staples in the magazine is exhausted, the follower, of course, is at the forward end of the magazine near the driving throat. At that point, the operator inserts through the rear open end of the magazine sticks of staples and pushes them forwardly in the magazine, so that the foremost staple engages the forward wear plate in the driving throat which is carried by the staple machine. The rearmost staple of the rearmost stick of staples drops behind the stop provided by the pins 43 (see FIGURE 7). Thereupon, the follower is drawn rearwardly to the rear end of the magazine, the fingers 31 pivoting outwardly so that they can slide over the legs of the staples, until they drop in behind the last staple in the magazine as shown in FIGURE 3. Since the rearmost staple engages the xed stop provided by the pins 43, rearward motion of the staple follower does not push staples out of the rear end of the magazine.

Referring to FIGURE 5, and keeping in mind that when the supply of staples is exhausted, the follower will be at the forward end of the magazine, it will be seen that there is ample space between the base 13 on which the staples move and the top members 17 of the channel on which the follower slides within which to insert sticks of staples into the machine and drop them behind the stop on the staple track. Alternatively, sticks of staples can be fed along the staple track by pressing the pins 43 inwardly with the leading staple of a stick. Thus, rapid insertion of sticks of staples is possible and after they have been inserted, all that is required of the operator is to move the staple follower rearwardly.

While I have -described a certain presently preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that it may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A rear loading staple magazine for stapling machines having a staple driving throat and a driving blade moving in the throat to drive staples comprising,

(A) magazine channel having (1) -a rst track on which sticks of staples slide towards -said thro at,

(2) a staple follower having movable fingers which engage the legs of the last staple of a stick of staples to move the staples toward said throat and which ride over the legs of staples in 1a stick 5 when the follower is moved away from said throat,

(B) a second track for guiding said follower and spaced vertically above said rst track when the magazine is in ta horizontal position,

(C) a stop positioned adjacent the end of the channel remote from the throat and beneath said first track to engage the legs of the rear staple in a staple stick and prevent rearward movement of the stick when the follower is moved away from the throat yand rides over the legs of staples held by said stop,

(D) the vertical distance between said first track and said stop being such that staples on said track are engaged by said stop and the vertical distance between -said second track and said stop being such that a stick of staples can be inserted at the end of the channel away from said throat between sai-d tracks and over said stop and then dropped in front of said stop, and

(E) a spring for resiliently urging said follower toward said driving throat to move sticks of staples towards said throat which spring comprises fiat steel spring stock connecting said magazine and said follower, said spring stock being coiled at one of its ends and the coil -being so positioned vertically with respect to the staple sticks that the natural tendency of the spring to unwind presses the portion of the spring above the staple stick downwardly against the sticks to hold them down against the first track.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,055,249 9/1936 Cavanagh 227-120 X 2,716,749 9/ 1955 Timmerbeil 227--120 X 3,106,136 `10/1963' Langas et al 227-130 X 3,174,672 3/1965 iluilfs 227,-120

GRANVILLE Y. OUSTER, I R., Primary Examiner. 

